California Is A Massive Water Shortage

After more than five years of drought in California, we are just now beginning to see an above-average precipitation,and this is leaving many to ask, "is the drought over?" This last drought was one of the worsts droughts California has experienced in history and it left many panicked and trying to come up with solutions. “Governor Jerry Brown even made one of the first cutback to farmers ' water rights since 1977, and ordered cities and towns to cut water use by as much as 36 percent ” (Zamora,et al..) Overall California has 39 million residents and on top of that California also grows an unbelievable amount of

Fresno is a city located in central California, also known as San Joaquin Valley Famously knows for its grape field and green trees. Known for where the immigrants came to work, by picking grapes making little to know money. Every year I go back to visit my home town about twice a year, each time we get near the grape vine which is located between Fresno and Las Angeles. The first thing that is noticed by the eye is the magnificent greenery and farm lands that can’t be passed without notice of its beauty. Every tree was full and rich looking to the roots and all around the ground would look moist and fully watered, without a doubt these farm lands where being taken care of. Recently in the past three years of taking the long exhausting drive from the dry lands of Tucson to the green lands of Fresno hasn’t been the same. The green lands of central valley are not as green as they once were. The grounds look dry and not as moist as before.

The groundwater of California is a serious policy matter in legislation. If there is drought, such as years like this, then management is necessary because it may encourage more pumping to supplant the water not gathered from other resources. Groundwater can account for as much as 35% of all the water used by California (cite). Unfortunately, there are not many laws established to regulate groundwater. The basins can replenish if they are pumped on a limited basis during normal or peak years. Luckily, proposals have been brought forth to help regulate ground water basins to insure their use is efficient and does not harm the environment.

Furthermore into detail, many have gone along with the climate change in California. When you look at the drought history, there wasn’t really a long break between the droughts. As mentioned, the last one started 8 years apart. Although California have received more than enough rain, Gov. Brown is going to continue the cutback in water by making the restriction permanent. Water would now only be used for the essential, such as no more watering the sidewalk to clean or no more car wash with hose without the nozzle (Farrington). He, and along other Californians, have realized how often the drought has occurred according to the previous drought

California’s continuous drought not only affects California, but essentially impacts the entire food system. Could you imagine an entire state unable to contribute to the growing demands of a thriving economy? As California enters its fifth year of drought the consequences of an ever depleting natural resource, water, continues to negatively impact landscape plants, agricultural production, wildlife, and the economy. The lack of water in California has the potential to have a devastating effect on an ever thriving economy.

The water shortages in California are causing hardships on the agricultural industry. There isn’t enough fresh water to support both the human population and the natural environment. One way to prevent water shortages would be to improve the irrigation systems the farmers use. Instead of using various types of irrigation systems that waterlog the soil, they should increase the use of a drip-irrigation system.

Due to the lack of rain in the past few years, and particularly in the last few months, California faces severe drought. This is the worst drought in more than one hundred years. The impact of California drought affects community, agriculture, organic ranchers, and dairy farmers. Because of these facts, the United States must rethink the way it uses water. Californians alone are asked to reduce their water usage by twenty percent to prevent water waste.

Currently California is facing a water shortage. The issue has been addressed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in February. He called for all state agencies to find the way to help in the statewide water shortage. This is California’s third consecutive year of drought and last spring and summer was the worst of the season because it had the lowest amount of water recorded and California’s reservoirs were at their lowest point as well which did not help in the water shortage. Many agencies have been acquired to find possible solutions to the water shortage, the Department of Water Resources has been directed to find solutions to the problem as well as asking people to conserve water.

With the current record-breaking drought in California, there are three factors that are said to be the reasons for causing the drought, which includes rising temperatures, shortage of water from the Colorado River, and depletion in groundwater (Macdonald, 2015). With rising temperatures over the years, the environmental changes that occur with this are an increase in evaporation, which is taking water from reservoirs and other sources where irrigation is coming from. With climate change with higher temperatures, this is taking away water that is needed to water the many crops that produce vegetation that is distributed all across the United States. The threatening of water supplies, especially here in the state of California is an issue that is very much real and is something that should not be ignored.

California drought Context of the drought situation The recent drought in California has increased attention on water management policies and practices. This part describes the actions taken and their importance in managing frequent droughts and water scarcity. It identifies the context of the drought on the economy, health, and the environment. In addition, the strategies employed to resolve the water scarcity issues in areas of continued vulnerability are highlighted.

To begin, California agriculture has lost over 1.84 billion dollars due to a drought. Not only is revenue lost, 10,000 jobs farmers and workers have been lost. The main issue California is facing is the lack of ground water. Wells are continuously being drilled deeper and heavy pumping gives little time for the water source to replenish. Therefore, if the drought continues California agriculture will lose much more money and unemployment will begin to rise.

California residents are beginning to feel the effects of the worst drought ever recorded in history. Wells are drying up, unexpected fires, and decreasing groundwater water levels are leaving Californians desperate in creating and putting in motion new water rationing projects for the whole state. The cause for the drought is just “Man made,” Carly Fiorina, former Hewlett-Packard executive stated . More and more lawns statewide are being ripped apart and replaced by fake grass to cut down water usage forcibly from the residents. Lakes that used to be overflowing with rich water are now nothing but a puddle of water waiting to dry up. This tragic drought will come to affect everyone, as California is one of the biggest nation’s producers of

California agriculture has been affected significantly. According to an article in the Reveal News “Why the California drought affects everyone”, the state may

“It is an enemy feared throughout the world. It attacks and depletes our supply of the element that, along with the air that we breathe, is necessary for the survival of all plant and animal life on our planet: water”(Dolan 10). Drought is becoming a major problem in the world, especially in California. Farmers are clamoring for water rights, water reservoirs are at all-time lows, and the low water levels are causing environmental issues such as increased forest fires. Drought in California, as well as around the world, can be devastating and affect many people and the environment.

When warmer temperatures rise, more water will evaporate from oceans, and other bodies of water such as lakes, ponds, and rivers, as well as the soil. It makes for drier land in that region. California has continuous issues with warmer temperatures and dryer land which has brought many ongoing problems. David Zilberman, David Sunding, Richard Howitt, Ariel Dinar, and Neal Macdougall stated that, “California’s water system relies on a sophisticated network of water reservoirs and aqueduct” (Zilberman, Sunding, Howitt, Dinar, and Macdougall 2). There should be restrictions on water use in California to minimize the effects of the drought for economic reasons, health concerns, and the destruction of land on the citizens.